As I said in Part Two, my temperature had shot up to 103 and had shown no signs of dropping. Nurses were becoming concerned about that. I honestly didn’t feel like I had a temperature. I know that when I have a high fever, my eyes are burning and I feel hot all over. But, I didn’t feel that way. So, I had to take their word for it. About 3AM, however, whatever medication they started giving me caused my temperature to come down. I was very thankful for that. I honestly did not, repeat, did NOT want an ice bath. I just wasn’t in the mood for a major action such as that after what I had been through on that day.

The very next morning, after I ate breakfast, I was forced to sit up, and then stand up. I was a bit shaky. But, I did it. Later on that second day, my pain started easing up. I was using less of the pump. I was getting my appetite back, even for that atrocious hospital food. I love fried chicken. But, the fried chicken I had that day for lunch bounced around on my plate. Seriously, I dropped it on my plate and it bounced around like a rubber ball. I thought it might be a rubber chicken. I ate it anyway. I was starving.

Over the course of the second and third days, I made significant progress. I actually met my goal of walking around the nurses station late afternoon on the second day. I continued physical therapy on the third day and also on the fourth day. The nurses bragged on me at how well I was making progress. But, I was actually cautioned to take it easy. Don’t do too much, too soon. I was just wanting out of the hospital…ASAP. I went in the hospital on July 10th, a Thursday morning. And I checked out on July 14th, a Monday morning. It had seemed much longer to me. In fact, it had seemed I was in that hospital for a month. I hate hospitals with a passion. But, I fully respect and appreciate the work of the people who work there for a living. I appreciate them all. Having said that, I hope I don’t ever have to see any of them again unless it’s in a social setting.

I am still in the recovery stage. I actually drove my car for the first time this morning. I’m getting calls from customers again about their computers. People are calling me less and less to check on me. That’s a positive sign, I suspect. I am feeling like a human being again. I still have to take pain medication for pain. But, with each passing day, the pain is becoming less of a factor in my life. I am hopeful that the surgery will take away the back pain I have experienced since my first back surgery in July of 1995. That’s my prayer anyway.